The Office of the Governor in Otjozondjupa Region is hosting a two-day training workshop for all church leaders in the region.

The purpose of the workshop, titled 'Role of Church in Community Development',  is to equip church leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills for them to assist the government in carrying out its mandate effectively.

A church is a place of worship where people gather, predominantly on Sundays, for spiritual upliftment.

Given that Namibia is recognised as a Christian nation, a significant portion of the population attends church.

As a result, the government is seeking assistance from the church in fulfilling its mandate of serving the community.

Against this backdrop, the Office of the Otjozondjupa Governor has organised training sessions for spiritual leaders.

Churches will assist it in renovating or constructing schools and hospitals and organising cleaning campaigns.

They will also set up groups that address community challenges and social problems, while church members will volunteer for government projects.

The training is being led by Pastor Isaac Hoaeb, who also serves as the mayor of Otavi.

"How can we meet the government halfway and do our part? Hospitals were initially church programmes; even schools were church programmes, but what happened was that we wanted to only do church inside the building and not outside. Let's take the church to the people and let the church be relevant in the community, meeting the needs of the members of the community."

"We rely on our churches, leaders, and congregates to sustain momentum and keep the spirit of hope alive until all of us are able to enjoy a better quality of life, says Otjiwarongo mayor, Gottlieb Shivute.

The training has attracted participation from over 30 Otjozondjupa-based churches.